Anna Patterson What is known today as gay and lesbian theater was sparked by the Gay Liberation movement in the United States. The presence of gays and how they are portrayed in different theater genres is something that is constantly evolving. It began with a negative view of gays and lesbians and has slowly but surely moved to a more accepting and celebratory view of the LGBT community. When gay playwrights were allowed to write about their personal struggles to be accepted and understood, gay and lesbian theater flourished. Prominent gay theater companies took root in the 1970’s. These included the theater production companies: The Other Side of the Stage, the Stonewall theater, the Glines, and Meridian Gay Theater in the 1980’s Along with the AIDS crisis, gay and lesbian theater suffered a great loss after several of its brilliant members fell victim to the virus. Several plays were written in response to this crisis, including Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart, William M. Hoffman’s As Is, and Rebecca Ranson’s Warren.
What is known today as gay and lesbian theater was sparked by the Gay Liberation movement in the United States. The presence of gays and how they are portrayed in different theater genres is something that is constantly evolving. It began with a negative view of gays and lesbians and has slowly but surely moved to a more accepting and celebratory view of the LGBT community. When gay playwrights were allowed to write about their personal struggles to be accepted and understood, gay and lesbian theater flourished. Prominent gay theater companies took root in the 1970’s. These included the theater production companies: The Other Side of the Stage, the Stonewall theater, the Glines, and Meridian Gay Theater in the 1980’s
Along with the AIDS crisis, gay and lesbian theater suffered a great loss after several of its brilliant members fell victim to the virus. Several plays were written in response to this crisis, including Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart, William M. Hoffman’s As Is, and Rebecca Ranson’s Warren.